Like You'll Never See Me Again
by Hikari-and-Yami
Summary: When you know someone you love is going to die, what do you do? Do you try to continue living as if everything's normal? Or do you let yourself give in to the heartache? Yugi is not given a choice in this matter. AtemxYugi Oneshot


Hi again! I know I just published one of these but I'm going crazy with ideas and I need to get them out of my system. So here's a oneshot. Just read it. It's not what you all think. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh or 'Like You'll Never See Me Again' by Alicia Keys.

This is how the story goes. Third person view. Yugi's point of view. Then Atem's point of view. Got it? I'll put names up top to help you guys remember.

* * *

"Never take for granted the time that you have with the person you love."

* * *

Atem's hands shook violently as he steadied himself against the doorframe of his bedroom, leaning his back against the wooden structure. A single piece of crumbled paper stuck out of one of his clenched fist, his other fist coming up to grab the fabric over his heart. His usual playful crimson eyes were now a pained scarlet and his body quivered slightly as he attempted to restrain his emotions.

No, not yet. Please.

He didn't know who he was begging to but, at the moment, it didn't matter. All he knew was that he wasn't ready yet. He wasn't ready to leave behind everything that he had worked so hard on building. Who would keep Joey in check whenever Kaiba showed up? Who would encourage Téa to keep reaching for her dreams of becoming a famous dancer? Who would lecture Tristan on the right way to flirt with girls?

Who would take care of Yugi?

Atem clutched his shirt reflexively.

Yugi, his aibou, his heart, his love, his _life._

Without realizing it, Atem let himself slide down the doorframe until he was sitting on the floor, his head now resting in his outstretched palms. He knew he was sick. He knew that his time was limited. But, why so soon?

Why did he have to leave Yugi so soon?

The clicking of keys and pitter-patter of footsteps alerted Atem of the arrival of his partner and, soon enough, Yugi was standing over him, those beautiful iris-colored eyes shining with concern.

"Até? What's wrong?"

Atem choked back a strangled sob at his aibou's worried voice, the small noise causing Yugi's eyes to widen in alarm as the smaller immediately fell to his knees, cupping Atem's face with his hands.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay? Did something happen?" Yugi implored, his tone becoming increasingly frantic with each question.

Atem didn't answer. He just continued to stare in those amethyst pools that shimmered with love. And it was then that Atem decided. He wouldn't tell Yugi. He wouldn't tell him because he knew it would ruin the time that they had left, which, according to this letter, wasn't much.

The only thing that Atem wanted now was to enjoy the time they had left. That's all he wanted.

So, discreetly shoving the letter into his back pocket, Atem leaned forward and captured Yugi's lips in a soft, loving kiss, his eyes fluttering close at the warmth that spread throughout his body.

"Everything's fine, aibou," Atem whispered quietly when he pulled away. "I was just thinking."

Yugi looked down at the floor, unconvinced. "About what?"

"Yugi, I need to ask you something," Atem said as he pulled the other onto his lap, positioning Yugi so that he was cradling the smaller like an infant. He smiled sadly at the suspicious jewels that locked with his own.

"What is it?" Yugi inquired, lifting up his hand to brush the back of his fingers against Atem's cheek.

"If I had no more time…" Atem murmured softly, "no more time left to be here, would you cherish what we had? Was it everything that you were looking for?"

"What?" Yugi asked, startled.

But Atem ignored Yugi's question and instead continued a line of his own. "If I couldn't feel your touch and you were no longer with me, would you be wishing that I was still there?"

"Até, I—"

"Yugi," Atem whispered, his eyes never leaving the other's. "I don't want to forget that the present is a gift and I don't want to take for granted the time I may have here with you. 'Cause God only knows another day is not really guaranteed."

Yugi struggled to sit up at this but Atem managed to hold him in place. "Okay, what's going on?" Yugi asked, his face twisting with concern. "What happened?"

"Nothing, aibou," Atem answered quietly, his eyes finally leaving Yugi's to settle on the ground. "It's just that, you know, a lot of bad things happen sometimes and a lot of the time, we can't change it. No matter how much we want to."

Yugi released a small sigh and reached his hand out to turn Atem's face back to meet his. "Is that what you've been sitting here worrying about?" Yugi said, his voice kind and comforting. "Até, I know that you get worried sometimes because, for some reason, we always find ourselves in dangerous situations. I mean, God only knows how many times we've had to save Téa and Mokuba after being kidnapped. But you shouldn't think so negatively." Yugi smiled. "No matter what happens, we'll always be together…right?"

If Atem hadn't taught himself since youth to control his emotions, then that simple question would have brought him to tears. But instead, he merely offered Yugi a breathtaking smile and nodded. "Of course, aibou. I promise," he said, bending down to press a gentle kiss on Yugi's forehead. "I'll always be with you."

"But," Atem continued, "you need to promise me something."

"Oh?" Yugi grinned. "And what is that?"

Tightening his hold on the bundle in his arms, Atem pressed his forehead against Yugi's, the red eyes filling with tears that pooled at the corners. "I need you to promise that every time you hold me, hold me like this is the last time and every time you kiss me, kiss me like you'll never see me again."

"Wha—?"

"Yugi, promise that you'll love me," Atem murmured, tears trailing down his cheeks in small streams, "love me like you'll never see me again."

"Oh, Até," Yugi said, his voice cracking with emotion at the sight of his partner. He reached up to wrap his arms around Atem's neck, pulling the other even closer. "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay. Please, please, don't cry," he said, hot tears stinging his own eyes. "Please, I love you, it'll be alright. Nothing's going to happen to us, I promise. Everything will be alright. You'll see."

Atem nodded slowly, nuzzling the gentle hand that was placed on his cheek and was wiping away his tears. "Just know, aibou, that I am so thankful that I found everything that I been looking for." He offered Yugi a small smile, knowing that this would be one of the few nights left that he would get to spend with his partner. "And I found it all in you."

Yugi returned the smile, his mind completely oblivious to the real meaning of Atem's words. "And I, you, Até."

* * *

_Yugi_

* * *

It all happened so fast. We were just walking through the park and Joey was going on about this how much of a prick Kaiba was who, by the way, was standing right there. We were all laughing, we were all happy.

And then, he just…collapsed.

Right in front of my eyes. I remember exactly the way his body fell forward and I remember how Tristan and Joey both reached out to catch him. I remember hearing Téa scream and remember seeing Kaiba rip out his cell phone and call an ambulance. I remembered all that but I couldn't remember what I had done. I couldn't remember if I screamed too or if I just stood there in shock. Maybe I collapsed too because the next thing I realized, I was standing in the waiting room in the hospital.

I was trying to drown out the surrounding voices of my friends as the man in the white coat in front of me informed me that Atem, the man who was my love, my heart, and my life all wrapped into one, was dying.

I think I may have laughed as I tried to explain to the doctor that he was mistaken. Atem wasn't dying. He couldn't be. He had been perfectly fine in the past few weeks. Not even a fever or a cold. He is fine, doctor, I know he is so why are you lying to me?

No, don't speak. Please, don't.

Please don't tell me that the reason that my heart beats is dying; don't tell me that the love of my life is undergoing heart surgery because his is too weak to go on; don't tell me that my partner is holding on by a thread. Please, don't lie to me because I don't think that my heart can take it.

Joey's grabbing me now, holding me. He thinks that he can distract me from the mean doctor's words. But he can't.

I'm going to prove you wrong, I say. All of you.

So, despite the overwhelming amount of doctors and nurses, I manage to run past them, my ears no longer open to their hurtful words as I skid into one of the surgery rooms.

And I freeze.

I think I tried to scream but no noise would come out. I was pretty sure I was crying but I couldn't feel the tears sting my cheeks. I don't even think I struggled when a few nurses dragged me out and pinned me to the floor.

Because as far as I was concerned, if Atem was dead, then so was I.

* * *

_Atem_

* * *

I cracked one eye open only to wince at the bright light shining above me. I knew heaven was going to be bright but this was ridiculous.

It took a full minute for me to gather the strength I needed to open both eyes. I didn't even try to move the rest of my body. Not that I could if I tried.

So, instead, I just stared up at the light, my thoughts shifting from how comfortable the cloud I was lying on was to how my aibou was handling everything back at home. I know he's devastated. I know that without a doubt. And I know that it's going to take him a long time to heal.

But, at least, the remaining time we had together was filled with happiness. At least, Yugi would have those memories to hold on to. And, in the end, that's all I wanted.

I felt something tighten around my hand but didn't turn my eyes to see what it was. My thoughts were focused on Yugi, after all. It wasn't until I heard a gentle voice of my angel that I turned my head to the side, my eyes growing wide.

"A-aibou," I stuttered, my mind not able to keep up with what I was seeing.

"I said, are you feeling better?" Yugi asked, his gaze on our conjoined hands.

"Yugi," I said, trying to sit up only to wince at the pain shooting up from my chest. I laid back down slowly, my eyes never leaving Yugi's saddened face. "Yugi, what are you doing here? Where are we?"

"We're in a hospital," Yugi sighed. "As for why I'm here, I'm still trying to figure that out."

The words cut me deeper than anything ever could. "What do you mean?"

That's when Yugi snapped his eyes to meet mine and I could finally see all the hurt and disappointment lurking in those violet orbs that no longer had that beautiful shine. It was the tears in Yugi's eyes that really made me crumble though for I'd rather die than ever be the reason for my aibou to cry.

"What I mean is that since you've been lying to me our entire relationship, I can't help but wonder why I've spent the last week sitting in this damn chair, holding your hand and waiting for you to wake up," Yugi snapped.

I recoiled as if Yugi had struck me. He might as well have.

"Aibou," I murmured. "Please, just listen to me."

"No," Yugi cried, "you listen to me." He stood to his feet, releasing my hand for what was probably the first time in days. I wonder if he has even eaten anything. I wonder how long it's been since he's slept. Judging from the purple color under his eyes, it's probably been more than 42 hours.

"How could you do this to me, Até?" Yugi asked, his eyes spilling out even more angry tears. "How could you keep something so…so important as you dying!? How could you lie to me?!"

"Yugi, aibou," I said, sitting up in the hospital bed, ignoring the surging pain in my chest. "Please, I didn't want to lie to you. But you have to realize that I did this for you!"

"No! You did this for you!"

"For us, Yugi!"

Yugi paused, his eyes widening minutely.

And then, the next thing I knew, he collapsed to his knees and buried his head in my stomach.

"Oh, Até!" Yugi cried, his tears staining the white blanket on top of me. "Why didn't you tell me!? I could have helped you! I could have been there for you!"

"Y-Yugi," I croaked, my fingers running through his hair soothingly. "I didn't want the time we had left to be wasted. I didn't want to spend that time searching for a heart donor that I knew would take forever to find. I didn't want to set up appointments and make you suffer through surgeries that may have not worked. I didn't want you to spend the time you had left with me worrying." I paused, lightly pushing Yugi's head to the side so that I could look into his eyes. "I wanted us to be happy. That's all I wanted; that we were happy the entire time we had left together."

Yugi shook his head from side to side, his tears finally coming to a stop. "You're so stupid, Até!" he said much to my surprise. "I understand what you did. That you did it because you love me. But that doesn't change the fact that you lied to me; that what you did was stupid."

I can't help but frown though I know he is right. He smiles at me. "But I forgive you."

That caught me by surprise too. "You do?" I asked.

"Yes," Yugi said, leaning up to place a soft kiss on my forehead. "I'm just happy that you're still here with me. And I love you…so much."

I wrap my arms around his body and pull him close. "I love you too, aibou." I inhale the sweet scent of his hair but pause when I suddenly realize what was wrong with this picture.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from him. "Yugi," I whispered. "Why am I still alive?"

At this, Yugi's smile faltered. "Right before you came in, there was a motorcycle accident. The guy on it was in surgery. I actually ran right into his room because I thought it was you but apparently you were down the hall. Anyways, there was so much blood that I couldn't even move. I think I eventually fainted after the nurses dragged me out. I thought…" Yugi stifled a sob. "I thought it was you. I thought you were already dead before I even got a chance to say goodbye."

"The man, the one from the motorcycle, he died. And he was an organ donor," Yugi's finger traced my chest slowly. "And his heart was perfect for you."

I grabbed his hand and pressed it against the fabric over my heart. "I'm sorry, Yugi. I truly am," I looked away, ashamed. "Maybe if I hadn't accepted my fate so easily, maybe if I would have fought back—"

"Shh," he murmured. "Let's not talk about what we could have done. Let's just think about what we can do now."

For the first time in a while, I feel a real smile come onto my face. "All I want is to be with you."

"And you will be," Yugi said. "We'll be together forever, remember? You promised me that."

I nodded. "And that's a promise I intend to keep."

"I know," he said quietly but with a smile. "But for now," Yugi whispered, "can you just hold me?"

I didn't need any more encouragement as I pulled him into my arms. And we sat there for hours until his breath was steady and his eyes had closed. But I didn't move. I didn't sleep.

And, for the rest of the night, I just held him like I'd never see him again.

* * *

**End**

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated as always.


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